My Future My Choice Community Links Expo is on again this year, with an amazing line up of
providers, services and more. FOCUS talks with Lorraine Legge, who tells us more about it.

W

hen and where is
this year's Disability
Expo?
Wednesday 13th
September 2017,
9:30am - 2:30pm at
the Armidale Ex Services Memorial Club.
For those unfamiliar with the Expo, what is it
all about, and who is it targeted at?
The My Future, My Choice, Community Links
Expo is an annual event that has been on local
Armidale residents' calendars for nearly ten years.
The expo offers a place to showcase organisations
that provide services to increase independence and
quality of life.
The expo is targeted at people with disability,
friends, families and carers who are looking to
talk to different service providers. People will also
be able to talk to businesses that provide aids,
equipment, innovative technology and services,
which may not have been available to them in the
past.
Why is it so important that potential clients
get the right information?
In this changing world with NDIS, it is really
important for people to know all the options that
are available to them. People are now able to access
services and receive supports that they have only
34 New England focus.

dreamt about in the past. A big thing I always tell
NDIS. The expo will be great for people to see first
customers is that they can mix and match many
hand what services are in the region, compared to
different options. If people like a certain provider
previous years.
with some supports and another with other
With the NDIS now rolling out, how important
supports, they can easily set up their plan to achieve is an expo like this in our area?
this - which is fantastic, as
Hugely important; the reason
it emphasises "choice and
is that people are so used to
control".
traditional service providers, as
What can people expect to
many services were unavailable
see on the day?
to people with disability. Now
People will also be able
People can expect to see
there are new services that
to talk to businesses
helpful stall holders displaying
businesses can provide and
that provide aids,
a range of products and
people can access under the
equipment, innovative
services. This year, due to the
NDIS.
technology and services,
NDIS roll out, we are expecting
I always say how important
which may not have
a larger range of different
it is that people choose the
been available to them
service providers giving
best provider for them and
in the past.
information around services,
to remember that they are in
aids and equipment.
control of their plan and how
People attending the expo
services will be delivered to them.
can also expect a BBQ and
Plans for the future?
drinks available. Entertainment will be provided by a
Each year we intend to hold an expo to showcase
number of local groups throughout the day.
local and known services and to highlight new
How many businesses are expected to attend?
services in the region. Over the last two years we
Similar to previous years, we are expecting
have seen growth in the expo due to the NDIS; it
around 40 - 50 businesses. A number of local
will be very interesting to see who comes out of the
providers will attend, along with other businesses
pipeline for 2018!
that have entered the region as a direct result of the Thanks Lorraine.